Spiral-tube-winding machine.



g I. R. SELFRIDGE.

. SPIRAL TUBE WINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, I9I4 13,164,878. Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

INVENTOR. J 4, S54 FRIDGE BY h 'l I ATTORNEYS.

J. R. SELF'MDGEn SPIRAL TUBE WINDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, 1914.

Patented De0.21,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVEN OR- J. l? 554 Ffi/DGF Z 2 z ATTORNEYS.-

WITNESSES J. R. SELFRIDGE.

SPIRAL TUBE WINDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED. MAY 14. 1914.

1,1 4, 7 Patented Dec. 21,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET'3- N WITNESSES v I V EN TOR I H YAJ-FS I Q. S I figTT RNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. SELFRIDGE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AS SIGNO R- TO SELFRIDGE HOLDING COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

SPIRAL-TUBE-WINDINC- MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. SELFRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spiral- Tube-Winding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The inventionrelates to a machine for winding spiral tubes, such as are employed as mailing tubes, round cartons, mandrels and other purposes, and which may be formed of paper, card. or other material which may be wound.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine which may be readily adjusted for the purpose of manufacturing geous features, some of-which, with the foregoing, will be set forth'at length :in the following description, where I shall outline in full that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration. in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In the drawings I have shown one specific form of-my generic invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form because my invention may be embodied in a multiplicity of forms, each being a species of my said invention. It is also understood that by the claims succeeding the description of my invention, I desire to cover the invention in whatever form it maybe embodied.

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of the machine of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of. one form of the machine of my invention, several of the parts being removed to better illustrate the structure. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional elevation showing" Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21,1915.

Application filed May 14, 1914. Serial No.'838,483.

the connection between the body and the belt carrying frame. Fig. 4 is a detail showing an end View of one of the belt guides. Fig. 5is a side view of the belt guide shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan View of one-half of thebelt carrying frame, showing a modified form of belt drive.

The machine consists of a body or-base 2 which rests upon or is secured to the floor or other foundation. Arranged on the body are bearings or supports 3 for the cylindrical stationary mandrel 4 on which the tube is formed. Mounted on the base 2 and pivoted thereto is a belt carrying frame 5 which is preferably of a truss construction. The pivot or pin 6 connecting the base and the frame 5, engages in a slot 7 in the base, and means are provided for moving the pin to the mandrel, for reasons which will hereinafter be set forth. The pin is moved in the slot by means of the capstan nut 8 engaging the rod 9 and seating in a pocket in the base. The nut is thereby held against longitudinal movement, and the rotation of the nut produces a longitudinal movement of the rod 9 and consequently a longitudi nal, movement of the pin 6 which is attached to the rod. The angular position of the belt carrying frame with relation to the mandrel 4 is varied and fixed by means of the screw threaded rod 12 which is provided with a hand'wheel 13 to facilitate its rotation. The rod 12 is rotatably held at one end in a block pivoted to the base 2 and engages at its other end in a swiveled nut 14 attached to the under, side of the belt carrying frame. The angular position of the belt carrying frame is varied in accordance with the diameter ofthe mandrel or the width of the strips' from which the tube is formed, that is, with the pitch of the spiral of the tube.

longitudinally in the slot to that the frame 5 may be moved longitudinally with respect Journaled at the opposite ends of the frame 5 are pulleys 15-16, each formed mounted on the frame 5, under the pulley 19, to which is attached a Weight 21, and over pulley 22 and thence to pulley 16. The pulley 18 is arranged at one side of the multiply run belt and the pulley 22 at the other side, and the belt strand or run crosses over from.one side to the. other at this oint, to begin another cycle of travel. The Weight 21 maintains all of the belt runs at their proper tension and produces a smooth operation of the machine.

.The upper belt runs pass around the mandrel in a spiral, so that the belt runs on opposite sides of the mandrel are not alined and the amount of displacement varies with the size of the mandrel, the number of runs and the angular relation of the base and belt carrying frame. This condition has rendered it difficult heretofore, to keep the belts on the pulleys and to prevent the runs from riding up on each other or becoming otherwise displaced on the mandrel. In order to lessen the former difficulty, I arrange the pulleys 1516 so that their position may be adjusted angularly with relation to the frame 5. The upper runs of the belt are not parallel with the lower runs of the belt and the pulleys are adjusted so that their position is a compromise between' the angle of approach and the angle of departureof the belt. In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the shafts 23-24v to which the pulleys 1516.are fixed are journaled in bearing blocks 25. 262728 mounted on the frame 5, and these blocks are movable horizontally, so that the angles of the shafts With relation to the frame 5 may be varied.

' The belt runs are directed onto the pulleys 1516 and are held to their proper position on the mandrel by means of' belt guides. The belt runs are directed onto pulley 15 by means of the belt guide 31, mounted on the frame 5, and the belt runs are directed onto pulley 16 by belt guides 32 similarly mounted. The belt runs are held to their proper positions on the mandrel 4, by belt guides 33, supported on the frame and engaging the belt runs at the point of contact of the approaching belt runs and the mandrel. The belt guides 33 are adjustable vertically, longitudinally of the mandrel, and angularly with respect to the frame 5, so that they may be properly positioned, regardless of the size of the mandrel, the inclination of the frame with respect to the mandrel, or the position of the belt on the mandrel. Each of the belt guides proper consists of a plate or angle iron 34 to which is secured a plurality of angles 35, having one leg projecting upwardly, the number ofangles 35 being preferably one more than the number of belt.

runs. and the spacing of the upwardly extending legs being such that a belt run occurs between each two successive legs. The

belt guide 33 is adjustably supported upon the vertical rod 36 which is in turn adjustably supported upon the horizontal rod 37 which is in turn adjustably supported upon the vertical rod 38, attached to the frame5. The rod 36 is adjustable, vertically, horizon tally, and rotatably, with respect to rod 37, and rod 37 is similarly adjustable with respect to rod 38.

I have found it desirable to the proper operation of the machine to drive both belt carrying pulleys 1516, and in Fig. 2 I have shown one form of drive. Mounted on the frame 41, which is arranged centrally of frame 5 and overlies the mandrel 4, is a motor 42 provided with a suitable reducing gear arranged within the housing 43, by means of which the sprocket 44-is driven. Passing around sprocket 44, idler sprockets 45 and sprockets 46-47 secured to the pulley shafts 2324, is a chain 48, which drives signed to operate at the same speed.- Each shaft and its associated motor is mounted upon a turntable or pivoted platform 52 which is provided wlth a rack 53 engaged by a worm 54 on shaft 55 which is provided With a handle 56. By this means the angular position of either shaft 23 or 24 may be independently varied to produce the best operation of the belts.

.By virtue of the adjustability of the frame 5 longitudinally with relation to the mandrel 4, the frame 5 may be moved so that the belt engages the mandrel adjacent its point of support, thereby relieving the mandrel from any unnecessary strains.

The paper or other material from which I the tube isformed is fed onto the mandrel in the direction indicatedby the arrow and is wrapped around the mandrel by means of the belt. The material is usually fed in two strips in overlapping relation, the outer strip closing the joint between the successive turns of the inner strip. Before being fed onto the mandrel the material is properly prepared, glue is applied and when 'necessary the glue is partly dried to insure its quicksetting. The completed tube moves longitudinally of the mandrel and discharges from its free end, at which point it may be cut into lengths or otherwise dis-' posed of.

It is understood that the mandrel may be removed and a mandrel of a different diameter inserted when it is desirable to form tubes of a different dlameter. The present machine is equally well adapted for the manufacture of tubes of small or large diameters, the present machine being constructed to manufacture tubes of a maximum diameter of 28 inches.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for winding spiral tubes, a base, a fixed mandrel supported at one end on said base, a frame pivotally attached to said base, pulleys arranged on said frame at opposite sides of said pivot, a single endless belt having a plurality of runs passing around said pulleys and mandrel, and means for varying the angle of said pulleys with respect to said frame.

2. In an apparatus for winding spiral tubes, a fixed mandrel, a frame angularly adjustable with respect to said mandrel, pulleys arranged at the opposite ends of said frame, said pulleys being angularly adjustable with respect to said frame, a belt passing around said pulleys and mandrel, and means for driving said belt.

3. In an apparatus for winding spiral tubes, a fixed mandrel, .a frame angularly adjustable with respect to said mandrel, turntables at the opposite ends of said frame, a shaft and a motor connected thereto mounted on each turntable, pulleys on said shafts and a belt passing aroundsaid pulleys and mandrel.

4. In an apparatus for winding spiral tubes, a fixed mandrel, a frame angularly adjustable with respect to said mandrel, platforms pivoted to said frame at the oppo site ends thereof, means for rotating said platforms, a shaft and a motor for driving the same mounted on each platform, pulleys 6. In an apparatus for Winding spiral tubes, a fixed mandrel, a frame angularly adjustable with respect to said mandrel, pulleys on'said frame at opposite sides of the mandrel and angularly adjustable with respect to said frame, a single endless belt having a plurality of runs passing around said pulleys and mandrel and a belt guide adjustably supported on said frame arranged to guide the approach of the runs onto said mandrel.

7. In an apparatus for winding spiral tubes, a fixed mandrel, a frame angularly adjustable with respect to said mandrel, pulleys on said frame at opposite sides of the mandrel and angularly adjustable to said frame, a single endless belt havinga plurality of runs passing around said pulleys and mandrel, means for guiding the belt runs onto said pulleys, and means for holding said runs in position on the mandrel.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 7th day of May 1914.

H. G. PROST,

J. B. GARDNER. 

